Another Layer to Dominic Toretto
by xxfuryxx
Summary: Dom and what's left of the team are in Mexico. Will running into an old flame change Dom's life forever?
1. The Starting Line

Puerto Vallerta, Mexico  
  
"I know we have to do this Justin, I just don't see why exactly we have to join Dominic's team, there have to be thousands of other teams in Mexico that are just as good," Beth grumbled from underneath the hood of her car, she might be saying the words, but she didn't believe them.  
  
No one was as good as Dominic Toretto.  
  
"Yeah you do Beth, no one else around here comes close to having the money Dom does, and you know it. Now chill the hell out and get my damned car running right so we can win this race," Justin ordered, knowing full well that it was easier to order his sister around than argue with her.   
  
"There's no way in hell this car is going to be in racing condition by tomorrow. Especially since we're stuck down here in the backwoods of fucking Mexico and I can get a hold of decent bolts for the tranny Justin."   
  
"No problem, we'll use the Mustang."  
  
"Justin, my Mustang hasn't raced since I got pregnant with the twins. Do you really think it's ready to go out against Dominic Toretto?"  
  
"Sure, I've been working on it for a while now. Even replaced the NOS tanks."  
  
"You've been working on my fucking car without my permission? Excuse me Justin who died and said you could touch my car, much less the NOS tanks?"   
  
"Me, considering I knew this was going to happen. I mean did you really think you were going to spend all this time down in Mexico and not end up running into Dom?" Justin looked as if he were about to start laughing at anytime.   
  
"No, I didn't, but I also didn't plan on having to fucking race him to get on his team. Then come to find out not only do I have to race him, but my twin brother, and best fucking friend in the world has decided to shove us together," Beth rambled, getting more pissed by the moment. "Not to mention how long do you think it'll take Dom to find out about the twins once he does his prerequisite background check?"  
  
"Dom's not gonna find out about the kids Beth, you know and I know that any sort of Internet access spells certain jail time for him. Not to mention I don't really understand why you don't want him to know in the first place!" Justin yelled back.   
  
"Well let's see there's the little fact that although he didn't know I was pregnant, I was three months along when he finally told me 'hey baby, guess what I'm getting back with Letty,'" Beth did her best imitation of Dominic before adding "That fucking hurt Justin. It was the only reason I decided to head back for the endless hills in Kentucky."   
  
"Don't blame Kentucky for us being on the run. You were the one who was supposed to be on the look out for cops!"   
  
"How the hell was I supposed to know that D was a narc, fuck Justin we'd known him since we were six!"  
  
"And before he decided he wanted to "come back to his roots" he'd joined the police force. What did you just think we were gonna get away with jacking cars to make ends meet forever?"  
  
"No, I thought we'd do it 'til we had enough money to go legit...and still race on the side."  
  
"Look Beth, this the only way, you know it and I know it. We race Dom's team, they let us in, we get the money to bring the kids down," Justin informed her hitting it where he knew it would hurt worst.  
  
"And you think Dom's not going to think it's weird that I have kids named Dominic Devlin and Mia Angelina?" Beth snorted as she reached for a wrench.  
  
"Why should he ever know? Angel and Devlin haven't gone by their real names since they were born," Justin shrugged, handing the wrench over to his sister.   
  
"What the hell ever Justin. Besides, what makes you think you're going to win against Dom anyway? Sure you can beat most of the amateurs back in Kentucky, and the guys we've raced down here aren't even worth mentioning, but this is Dominic Toretto, best of the best."  
  
"'Cause I'm not driving mi amiga, you are," Justin smirked, running a clean grease rag over his bald head.   
  
"Por Favor? Did you just fucking say I'm driving?" Beth growled, glaring at her brother through green eyes.   
  
"Look Beth, there's no way I can beat Toretto, you know it and I know it. As far as I know you're the only person who's even come close, and that's because he taught you most every goddamned thing you know," Justin told her flat out.  
  
"Justin, shit like I told you before I haven't raced since I got pregnant with the twins. At first it was cause I couldn't...then, well it just hurt too damned much to race without Dom," Beth admitted with a shuddering sigh.   
  
"C'mon little sis, you need to practice, then you can shove what you know back in Dom's face when the race is over," Justin goaded wrapping his arm around his twin and turning her towards the garage.   
  
Beth playfully slaps her brother as they walk, "Listen you asshole, just cause you're like two seconds older than me doesn't make me your little sister, that privilege belongs to Marlena."  
  
"Two seconds is two seconds in the grand scheme of things," Justin joked glad to see the smile back on his sisters face.   
  
***   
  
"Mia! Get out here now!" Dom demanded from under the hood of the now cherry red Supra, "And bring Spillner with ya!"  
  
"What is it Dom?" Mia grumbled, as she walked out of the house with Brian in tow.   
  
Hours after Dom had raced off in the Supra Brian had resigned his position with the LAPD and camped out on Mia's doorstep, literally, he was there 24 hours a day until Mia had finally given in and listened to what he had to say.   
  
Then they'd had to get to know one another all over again. Finally six months ago they both felt it was safe enough to meet up with Dom in Baja. They hadn't been back to the states since.   
  
"What do you know about the.." He took a second to look down at the sheet of paper in his hand, "Rodriguz twins?"  
  
"Julio and Justina, they're like 22 or 23, have made themselves quite a name since they've been on the lam down here," Leon piped in as he rolled out from under the car.   
  
"They any good?" Brian asked quietly. He had the feeling he knew what was going on in Dom's head and if this was the case then they needed to know as much as they could.  
  
"Julio is about as good as Edwin and RJ were, I've never seen the sister drive, but from what I understand she's an angel under the hood. Kinda reminiscent of Jesse," Leon smiled.   
  
"Did I hear someone compare a chick to me?" Jesse stuttered making his way from the makeshift garage they had built out in the desert.   
  
Jesse hadn't died after all, and since the cops could never attach him to any of the hijackings he'd gotten off with no trouble. He and Vince had joined Dom, Letty, and Leon down in Mexico a year ago and never looked back.   
  
Letty had taken off shortly afterward saying she was sick of Dom's shit, but in reality Dom knew it was because she was just tired of Dom muttering another woman's name in his sleep.   
  
A woman he'd never been quite able to forget. Another angel under the hood.   
  
Vince had finally realized he was never going to get with Mia and left as soon as Mia and Brian had joined them down in Mexico.   
  
So now his team was down two drivers, and a couple of damned good mechanics. Brian helped fill the void, but you just couldn't replace experience.   
  
"Dom, her name is Justina not Beth," Mia warned gently laying a hand on her brother's arm.  
  
"I know Mia, I know, Beth's a whole other world away. I screwed that up a long time ago," Dom sighed.   
  
"Who's Beth?" Brian was puzzled, this was a new name on him.  
  
"Just some girl I used to like that I screwed things up with. We don't mention her ever again, got that?" Dom ordered his eyes turning hard as rocks.   
  
"I'll explain things when we get inside," Mia whispered dragging her boyfriend away.  
  
"So what's this all about Dom?" Leon was intrigued. It looked as if there was a challenge set, but he wasn't for sure.   
  
"They wanna met up with us tomorrow night. Something about having a proposition for us," Dom muttered before turning back to the engine.   
  
***  
  
"You ready to go?" Justin asked wiping his hands on his jeans.  
  
"I'll follow you in like ten minutes Justin, I wanna change, plus if Dom doesn't know it's me doing the driving, it'll startle the hell out of him," Beth explained, heading back towards the door.  
  
"Ya know, you're onto something. I'll see you in ten," Justin spun out in his red RX-7.  
  
"If I show," Beth whispered, leaning against the wall.   
  
This was it, tonight Dom would find out what had happened to that summer fling he'd had so many years ago. Maybe he'd like what he saw, maybe not. At this point in time Beth didn't really care.   
  
She didn't love Dominic Toretto anymore.  
  
Or so she tried to tell herself.   
  
Oh who the hell was she kidding. She'd love Dominic 'til the day she died. No other man could compare. Mia had once told her Dom was like gravity, everything was pulled to him, she was right. No one could resist Dominic.  
  
Glancing down at her watch Beth realized more than ten minutes had passed since Justin had left, "Fuck it, he can wait another five, I'm not gonna face Dom in dirty coveralls."  
  
*** 


	2. And the Winner is

***  
  
"They said to look for a red RX-7," Dom ordered through his cell phone. Like normal they were driving up in a back, except instead of Letty and Vince at his wing it was Brian and Mia.   
  
Dom had found it easier to forgive Brian than Mia, in his mind Brian O' Conner had died the day he'd handed the keys to the Supra over to Dom and gone to face the music by himself. He was Brian Spillner to him, the guy he'd become friends with as they worked on an old Supra.   
  
"Dom, how do we know it's not the federales waiting to haul our asses back to face the music?" Leon asked terror lacing his voice.   
  
"We don't. We see any sign off cops we book the hell out of this place and don't look back," Dom growled tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. His gut was telling him he needed to be at this place at this time.   
  
"Dom, you sure you're not confusing the chick on this team with..."  
  
"Can it Jesse!" Dom ordered before spotting the car sitting just over the next hill. "And there's the RX-7, looks like it's just one guy all by himself."  
  
"What is this guy crazy? He comes out to race and doesn't even bring his mechanic?" Brian laughed his blue eyes twinkling in the sunlight.  
  
Dom threw his car into park and stepped out, for just a minute he felt like he was back on the streets of LA waiting to smoke the rest of the scene.   
  
"Toretto?" The guy asked, holding out a greasy hand.   
  
"Yeah, and you are? And don't tell me Julio Rodriguz, you might be part hispanic, but you're definitly not Mexican," Dom had no tolerance for bullshit today, this race was starting to freak him out. Well that and those green eyes. They were her eyes.   
  
"I'm Justin," the guy laughed pulling his hand back. "We're gonna have to wait a second for my sister, you know how chicks are always running late."  
  
"What makes you think I want to wait for your sister?"   
  
"Let's just say your patience will be rewarded, she should be here any minute," Justin smiled.   
  
"Your accent sounds familiar, southern?" Brian asked, wrapping an arm around Mia.   
  
"Yeah, Kentucky."  
  
For a second the entire world stopped moving for Dominic. Kentucky, no there was no fucking way. Beth didn't have a brother, she would've told him if she had a brother.   
  
"Listen what's this proposition you have for me?" Dom demanded shaking himself out of his stupor.   
  
"The usual, one race, quarter of a mile, winner take all," Justin stated matter of factly.  
  
"What're we racing for?" Leon piped in.   
  
"We win, you let us in, we lose, you get both our cars, and my sister's services for a year. Word on the street is you're looking for another mechanic."   
  
"What makes you think I want your sister anywhere under my hood? I've only seen two chicks in this world who I'd even let touch one of my cars, and as far as I know neither of 'em are your sister," Dom leaned up against his car knowing with his size he was intimidating as hell.   
  
"Just wait and see, like I said she's coming," Justin smirked, watching the hills for his sister.   
  
"Sure, whatever, you've got ten minutes then our asses are outta here."  
  
"I'll only need two. See that mustang coming over the hill, that's her," Justin smiled starting at a slow run towards his sister.   
  
"That's her huh? Well that proves this sister of yours does exist, but honestly what makes you even think you can beat me in a race?" Dom muttered never taking his eyes from the car. There was something familiar about the way this chick drove. His father always said you could tell the measure of a man by the way he drives his car, and this girl as far as he could tell drove like a pro.  
  
Justin paused for a moment until Beth had parked her car and was getting ready to get out before springing the surprise on them, "Cause I'm not driving...she is."  
  
"Holy shit Dom, is that who I think it is?" Mia whispered quietly.  
  
Dom didn't say a word, just watched as Beth walked towards him. She'd changed in the last two years, filled out in all the right places, but she was still the Beth he remembered.   
  
"Dom, earth to Dom!" Jesse shouted running his hand across the face of the man who'd been like an older brother to him for as long as he could remember.   
  
"Yeah Jess, that's her," Dom muttered, as he started slowly towards the mustang.   
  
"I take it this is the illustrious Beth we're not supposed to mention?" Brian asked softly, figuring no one could hear him anyway.  
  
"Yep, that's her," Leon replied before doing as he always did and following Dom.   
  
"Dominic, nice to see you, last I heard you almost died trying to get away from the cops for jacking trucks," Beth tried to keep the worry out of her voice, hearing about Dom's wreck had caused her to go into labor.   
  
"Last I heard you'd headed back for Kentucky, what the hell are you doing down here?"   
  
"Let's just say same thing as you," Beth replied shoving a hand through her long brunette hair.   
  
"You were jacking trucks?" Jesse's voice was filled with amazment.   
  
"No, high end cars, still just about the same thing," Beth smiled at Jesse. She'd been relieved when she'd heard through the grapevine that Jesse was going to survive being shot by that asshole Tran.   
  
"No shit, what the hell were you thinking chica?" Mia asked, pulling her one time friend into a hug.   
  
"I needed to make ends meet, at the time it seemed like a good idea. Justin and I even had one of our old running buddies, D, I think I told ya'll about him, helping out, until it turned out he was a fucking Narc," Beth's eyes were shadowed by betrayel, it was then she spotted the surfer blond standing behind Mia. She'd never seen him before. "And who, might I ask the hell are you?"   
  
"A friend," Dom bit off before Brian could even reply. If he ever found this D person he was going to draw and quarter him for putting that look into Beth's eyes.   
  
"I didn't ask you, Toretto, I asked your friend. Forgive me if I don't quite trust newcomers," Beth, growled leaning on her brother's shoulder for support.   
  
"Brian Spillner, I hooked up with Dom and the team a couple of years ago," Brian edged, if undercover work had taught him anything it was how to read people, and he had the distinct feeling that if Beth found out he used to be a cop she'd bolt and Dom would kill him.  
  
"Okay, we gonna race or stand around here gabbing our asses off the rest of the day?" Justin demanded.  
  
"Let's race. Justin, since you're the only one I don't know, your ass is in the sidelines. Mia, paint the line, Brian you're starting us," Dom ordered heading towards the Supra.   
  
"Fine with me," Justin replied leading his sister towards the car, "You know what to do little sister, wait til close to the finish to hit the hell out of the NOS, don't get yourself killed, and for gods sake keep your mind on the race."   
  
"Justin, I believe it was me who taught you how to drive, now get your ass out of my way," Beth opened her car door and strapped herself in, lifting the seat to turn on her NOS tanks up to full throttle, then blasting Metallica's S&M, the only music she ever raced too.   
  
"Hey Beth, 10 seconds or less, and your pretty little car is mine," Dom tuanted adjusting his own car.   
  
"No, 10 seconds or less, and I prove to you once and for all just who the hell is the better driver," Beth shot back.   
  
Brian took his place in between the two cars, holding his shirt as a sort of flag, and then with the drop of the shirt they were off.   
  
Beth focused all of her energies on the race, letting everything else around her just dissapear. Double clutch, shift into third, double clutch hit of NOS. Yet even as much as she tried, she couldn't focus completely on the race.   
  
And as a result Dominic came in ahead of her by just a hair.   
  
And like Dom always said, it doesn't matter if it's an inch or a mile winning's winning.   
  
"SHIT!" She screamed banging her head against her steering wheel. She'd just fucked everything up, all of her hopes and dreams shot down the toilet with one stupid mistake.   
  
Thinking of the competition while she was racing.   
  
***   
  
"Well there we go, for the next year, your ass is mine Beth," Dom smirked, even though inside his gut was twisted. Maybe this was his chance to make things right for the way things ended two years ago.   
  
"Excuse me, I didn't say anything about my ass, you just get my fucking car," Beth growled, slamming the car door.   
  
"Um...Beth, I kinda forgot to tell you the other part of the deal to get Toretto to race. I told him you'd work on his cars for a year," Justin muttered into his sisters ear, before scurrying off to escape her wrath.   
  
"DAMN IT JUSTIN!" Beth screamed racing off to kill her brother.  
  
"Well that went over really well I think," Leon stated softly going for the cheap laugh.   
  
"Yeah, I think so too," Brian laughed, watching the pretty girl with almond shaped eyes beating on her brother.   
  
Mia just pulled Dom aside, "Do you really want to do this Dom? You know what happened to her, maybe now's the time to just let things go."   
  
"Listen Mia, this is my buisness. Her brother shot his mouth, now she has to pay the price," Dom shrugged.   
  
"Pay the price! Dominic Angelo Toretto, you used to at least care about this girl, why are you being such an ass?" Mia demanded, stalking away before Dom could reply.   
  
Dom didn't want to tell Mia he was doing this for Beth's own good. At least on his team he could look out for her, make sure nothing happened to her, as it seemed Justin could care less what happened to his sister as long as she helped him win races.   
  
"Dom, I'm not saying it won't be great working with Beth again. She's even better under a hood than Letty was, but jesus do you have to do it this way?" Jesse demanded before walking off to check on his friend.   
  
Shit it seemed like he was turning his own team against him.  
  
"I know what you're doing Dom. You might be able to fool the rest of 'em but I see right through you. You still care about this chick. You wanna make sure her damned fool brother doesn't get her into any more trouble don't you?" Brian smiled.   
  
"How the hell is it you can read me better than people I've known my whole life?" Dom groaned.  
  
"Cops eyes, we're trained to see all, know all."   
  
"Well use your cop's eyes for something useful for a change. Run a background on Elizabeth and Justin Penick, find out whatever you can about 'em," Dom demanded. He should've thought of this months ago.  
  
"Sure thing boss, you want me to keep it on the DL?"   
  
"Yeah, and while you're at it, find out who the hell the Narc was that sold 'em down the river," Dom cracked his knuckles at the thought of it. Justin might not mean shit to him at the moment, but no one messed with his woman and got away with it.   
  
And Beth might not know it yet, but once you're with Dominic Toretto, you stayed with Dominic Toretto. Like Mia had told Brian, he owned you.   
  
*** 


	3. Explainations

***  
  
"Toretto, when do you want to take delivery on the cars?" Justin asked, after his sister had headed back to the house.   
  
"You keep the cars, I just hold the pinks and make fifty percent off whatever you get racing," Dom explained, then asked a question that had been bugging him since he'd seen Beth step out of the car, "Where were you two years ago?"  
  
"Virginia State Reformatory, doing four years for Robbery," Justin muttered.   
  
"Ah, well here's something you should've learned in jail, but apparently didn't," Dom rammed his fist into the other man's stomach with a satisfying thud, "Never bet what you can't afford to lose."   
  
Dom walked away, making the motion for the team to follow him before turning around, writing a number down on a piece of paper, and handing it to Justin. "My number, have your sister call me for directions to the shop."  
  
Justin understood where Dom was coming from, and realized that he must really still love Beth to be so willing to kill for her.   
  
And he had no doubt Dominic Toretto would kill for his sister.   
  
***  
  
Dom was most at peace when in the middle of a neck and neck race. When the world was blurred out and the only thing between him and the finish line was two other cars.   
  
But a close second to that was when he was covered in grease and surrounded by the insides of a car. For the first time in his life however even a transmission rebuild couldn't calm him down, all he could think of was the hurt that seemed to live just below the smile in Beth's eyes.   
  
And knowing he'd put that hurt there was unacceptable.   
  
Two years ago he'd met the woman he'd known was going to be his end all be all. He hadn't known how to handle it. Beth had made him forget about playing it safe, she'd helped him move past all the shit in his life. It was a wonder she hadn't ended up pregnant as many times as they'd forgotten themselves and went without birth control.   
  
Then Letty had walked back into his life, said she wanted to get back together and that had been that. He'd left Beth because she scared the shit out of him, and went with what he knew, what was safe.   
  
Well damn it he was done playing it safe, he wanted his woman back, and he'd die before he let anything, even the woman herself stop him.  
  
With his mind made up, Dom set about cleaning up the mess, he'd get the tranny working tomorrow. The phone rang, and Dom bolted to pick it up, he knew who it was.  
  
"Yeah?" He smiled, keeping his voice even.  
  
"My brother said you wanted me to call you?" Beth sounded wary.   
  
"That's right. You'll start paying your debt at eight tomorrow morning. I live just off of Montigo street," Dom ordered.   
  
"Sure Dom, house number?"   
  
"Do you think I'm stupid? Just look for the Mia's car," Dom smirked.   
  
"Whatever Dom, I'll see you at nine," Beth replied.   
  
"I said eight, I mean eight."   
  
"Dom, I call home every morning at eight in the morning. I'll see you at nine. I'm bringing in the RX-7, the tranny's about shot on it, and I can't get the bolts all the way down here in bumfuck," Beth grumbled before hanging up the phone.  
  
"She calls home every morning at eight?" Dom shook his head "That's just anal."  
  
***  
  
Beth's hands shook as she made her daily call home to the kids, there'd been so much she'd missed since she'd fled down to Mexico six months ago. Their first birthday, Angel taking her first steps, Devlin finally speaking his first word.   
  
At sixteen months old her babies were growing like weeds.   
  
"Hey Momma," Beth whispered, leaning her head against the wall.  
  
"Hey babygirl, how're you doing?"   
  
"Not good Mom, I work for him now," Beth sighed, her tears falling slowly down her face.  
  
"Oh good baby, you okay?" Barbara Penick didn't have to ask who her daughter was working for she knew.   
  
"Not really Mom, I'm stuck with him a year. I don't know if I can wait another year to see my babies," Beth sobbed letting her emotions go.  
  
"Maybe it's time you told him Beth. He has a right to know."  
  
"No Mom, Dominic Toretto has no fucking right to my kids, and I'll burn in hell before I even think about telling him," Beth growled vehimately, "I'll just find another way to get them here."  
  
"Calm down, it was only a suggestion," Barbara admonished. "Now talk to your kids."  
  
Beth let a smile come to her face as she waited for her mom to put the kids on the phone, this was the best part of her day.  
  
"Momma?" Angel's precious little voice piped through the skittish connection.  
  
"Hey baby, how're you feeling today?"  
  
"Good, I love you mommy," Angel's voice started quivering.  
  
"I love you too baby, now put bubby on the line so Mommy can head to work," Beth loved these little moments with her kids, the calls were sending her into the poor house, but she'd be damned if her babies didn't know her.  
  
"Mommy!" Devlin squealed, "I wuv you mommy."  
  
"I love you too Devlin. I miss you and your sister," Beth imagined Devlin, a carbon copy of Dom sitting impatiently on his grandmothers lap, fidgeting every other second.  
  
"We miss you."   
  
A few minutes later Beth closed off the connection. She could never stay on the phone for very long just in case the feds had a tap on her mom's line.   
  
"Hey, how were the kids?" Justin asked, stumbling into the kitchen bleary eyed.  
  
"Good, Mom took 'em to the Zoo yesterday and all Devlin wanted to talk about was the bears," Beth informed him as she sat down across from him at the table.  
  
"You want me to come with ya today? I can afford to take a couple of days off from the store," Justin asked taking his sisters hand into his own, "I got you into this mess after all."  
  
"No, I'm good Justin. I've got to face Dom by myself one of these days, it might as well be today. Besides The rest of the team is going to be there so it's not like we're exactly alone," Beth muttered. She'd forgiven her brother as soon as he walked in the door last night looking for all the world like someone had just killed his best friend.   
  
"Well if you need me call me, worse comes to worse we can be out of here in ten minutes," Justin offered. They'd had an escape route in place just in case the Mexican government decided it was time to quit harboring criminals.   
  
"I will...And I've got to do this, put Dom out of my heart once and for all. Besides, Letty'll be there today, and that should put an end to any and all thoughts I might have about Dominic and I getting back together," Beth sighed shoving her fingers through her hair.   
  
"Well like I said, you need me call," Justin demanded as Beth got up, grabbed a set of coveralls and headed out of the house.   
  
"I'm leaving the mustang with you. I'm hoping to get your car running right today before we do anything," Beth called out before grabbing the keys off the hook and disappearing for a long days work.  
  
Work...yeah right, more like torture.  
  
*** 


	4. Dom Finds Out

"Dom, your directions suck ass," Beth grumbled as she made her way into the garage, "Montigo St, look for Mia's car? Jesus you should've just said needle in a haystack."   
  
"Worried about bugs," Dom grumbled never looking up from the computer system he was recalibrating "You know that car sounds like shit don't you?" Beth winced, she hated to have her shortcomings pointed out to her, "Yeah I know, I was in the middle of a tranny rebuild when that race came up. When Justin put it back together the other night he put the clutch plate on backwards, now I've gotta strip out all the bolts and get new ones."  
  
"Call Luis's tell 'em to put it on my tab..they deliver. In the meantime, hook up with the mad scientist and see if you can't help him shave three pounds off a civic," Dom ordered.   
  
"Sir yes sir," Beth saluted smartly before she made her way back to the main office to use the phone. "Hey Dom, what name are ya'll using down here because if you're using Toretto you're dumber than I thought."   
  
"Dominic Mendoza," Dom replied softly before heading in to Jesse's office. "Hey Jess, I need you to do me a favor." "What Dom?" Jesse asked, even though he was completely absorbed in trying to figure out the weight problem on the civic they were customizing.  
  
"I need you to find out what the hell is eating at Beth, I know she sure as hell ain't gonna tell me. She doesn't trust me since the whole Letty thing, maybe you can get it out of her," Dom sighed, running a hand over his head.  
  
"So basically you want me to pump Beth for information then report back to you," Jesse laughed, pecking a few modifications in at the same time.  
  
"Pretty much, just..I wanna know who put that lost look in her eyes. Then I want to beat 'em to a pulp," Dom growled menacingly.   
  
"Yeah, I'll talk to her, but Dom you've got to be prepared, the guy who put that look into her eyes might be you," Jesse warned softly just as Beth came into the office.  
  
"What're you two plotting now?" She teased, trying to lighten the mood a little.   
  
"World take over using souped up civics," Jesse joked, patting the chair beside his.  
  
"Cool, now what's the problem with this custom job?" Beth asked, ignoring Dom altogether.   
  
"I can't seem to shake off another three pounds, I've tried everything from a lighter fuel management system to completely ditching the backseat," Jesse informed her as Dom walked out of the room.  
  
"What about replacing the Civic's struts with a Supras, you lose four pounds, and get better traction," Beth suggested typing the modifications into Jesse's computer.  
  
"Doesn't work, you lose two seconds on start up," Jesse replied, showing her the calculations.  
  
"Shit, of course it doesn't work, that'd be too damned easy," Beth growled before another idea entered her head "You said you tried taking out the backseat, why didn't that work?"  
  
"Presented it to the client, he wants it street legal as possible," Jesse told her.  
  
"Then why don't you hollow out the backseat, and instead of putting the Nos system in the front seat, put it in the back with a flip up seat top, you loose three pounds in the padding alone," Beth suggested changing the settings around.  
  
"That works, damn, do you know how long we've been fighting this last three pounds? I thought I was going to have to give up and tell the owners I couldn't do it," Jesse muttered, before giving in and asking the question that had been bugging him since he'd seen her for the first time, "What's wrong?" "What's wrong? What's fucking wrong?" Beth stammered as tears streamed down her face, "let's see my fucking brother lost me in a bet, the man I'll always fucking love no matter how hard I try not to is in love with another woman, Oh and did I mention I haven't seen my kids since they were 10 months old?"   
  
"You have kids?" Jesse sounded as surprised as Beth felt. She couldn't believe she'd fucking said that.   
  
"Yeah twins, Devlin and Angel, Jess, I need you to promise me you won't tell Dom," Beth pleaded anxiously.  
  
"Why would Dom care that you've got kids?"   
  
"Let's see, my kids are sixteen months old. Which means they were born February 14th of last year," Beth ticked off on her fingers counting on Jesse to do the math. "You're the genius add 8 months to that and you get 24 months. Dom and I hooked up for the first time two years ago yesterday."  
  
"How come they were eight month babies?"   
  
"Twins tend to come early," Beth explained, "They've been living with Mom since everything went down, and as long as I'm stuck down here in Mexico working for Dom it's going to stay that way."   
  
"Beth, he deserves to know. Dom, well he's changed since Spilner almost busted us for hijacking." "Por Favor, tell me you just didn't say Spilner's a fucking narc," Beth growled whipping around and heading towards the door. She wasn't waiting for answers.   
  
"DOMINIC TORETTO, I wanna talk to your ass NOW!"  
  
"What?"   
  
"Why the hell do you have a fucking Narc working for you?" Beth spit out, holding herself back only enough to keep from hitting Dom.  
  
"That's none of your business," Dom replied "All you have to know is that he's not a cop anymore."  
  
"None of my business? Since when is my life none of my business, Dom I've got warrants hanging over my head. I can't go back to the states, and now come to find out I'm working with a fucking cop!" Beth had started to pace the length of the shop, not caring that the rest of the team had come up to see what the hell was going on.  
  
Mia came up and put her hand on Beth's arm gently, "I think you deserve to know, first of all like Dominic said, Bri's not a cop anymore."  
  
For the next twenty minutes Mia and the rest of the team told the story of that last fateful day. When it was over Beth stood up, looked at Brian and sighed before walking over and putting her arms around him.   
  
"You saved him, thank you for that," She whispered into his ear before walking out to meet Luis's delivery truck.  
  
The rest of the team followed her out, leaving Dom and Brian standing back.   
  
"I need to talk to you, I did that search you asked me about," Brian told Dom quietly as he motioned towards the back office.   
  
"Sure, just give me a minute will you?"  
  
"No problem caveron."   
  
***  
  
After Dom had splashed some water on his face he walked over to where Brian sat in the office.   
  
"So what'd you find out?"  
  
"Let's start with the basics, Justin David and Elizabeth Rose Penick were born to Barbara Penick and Julio Rodriguz, never married, in 1980. Justin had a fairly clean rap sheet until about six years ago when he went up for robbery. Did four and a half years at various Virginia state pennitentarys. Beth, except for a few illegal street racing tickets she never paid was completely clean up until about 10 months ago when she was indicated in the hijackings," Brian rambled before looking down at the pages in his hand, "D is Kenneth Andrew Brown, member of the LPD detective division. 21 clean arrests in the last four years, mostly drug runners, but a few hijackers as well."  
  
"I want him dead," Dom growled, so that was the mother fucker who'd put the hurt into his girls eyes. He was going to pay.   
  
"Dom, there's more. I did a birth certificate search, just to see if Justin and Beth have any brothers and sisters, they do a younger sister named Marlena, but aside from that Beth has two children, right now in the legal custody of her mother, Dominic Devlin and Mia Angelina," Brian pulled out the computer copies of the birth certificates to prove it.   
  
Dom turned pale white as he snatched the pages from Brian's hand and looked down at the date of birth on the first one. 02-14-2002, father: Unknown.   
  
That's what got him in the gut, Father: Unknown. He damned well knew who the father was. He might not be a math genious like Jesse, but it wasn't that hard to do the damned math.   
  
He was a father. How the hell could she have kept this from him all of this time? She knew how to get a hold of him, or if not him Mia. And she had to have been three months pregnant when he dropped her for Letty in order for the dates to match up.  
  
And he was going to find out just why the hell the dates matched up.  
  
"BETH!" Dom screamed, gearing up for yet another argument.   
  
"What Dom?" Beth asked distractedly as she gazed adoringly down at the tranny.   
  
"Why the hell didn't you tell me?"   
  
"Tell you what Dom?"  
  
"That I have kids?" He growled, pulling her up by the arm and dragging her to the back office. He slammed the door shut, hoping to ensure some sort of privacy.  
  
"Why the hell should I have told you Dom?" Beth shot back, not quite caring how he got his information, "The day I find out I'm pregnant you came to my aunt's house and told me "Hey guess what Letty and I are getting back together. I'm sorry, but she's comes first." 


	5. The Trip North

***  
  
"Okay Beth, would you care to explain to me just why the hell I had to come all the way out here?" Justin demanded as he stomped into the shop.  
  
"We're going to get the kids," Beth smiled, happy for the first time in months, "You, Me, Dom, Mia, Jesse and Leon are gonna make a trip up into the states to pick up my kids."   
  
"That's great Beth, really great, so you need me to route things for you?" Justin knew exactly what his sister was thinking, she might be the car genius, but he could navigate through hell.  
  
And had on several occasions.   
  
"Yeah, we're all sitting around the kitchen table with an atlas spread around us trying to figure this out," Beth laughed, leading him into the house.   
  
"Cool, just let me grab a coke and we're good to go," Justin smiled, wrapping a brotherly arm around his sister.   
  
A few minutes later they were sitting around the table introductions made and the maps spread out across the table.   
  
"Okay here's how we do it, we break up into three teams of two and one car with one. Beth, it'll be you and Dom in one car, Jesse dude, you're riding with me, Brian and Mia, you two are together, Leon, I understand you're the scanner guy around here?" Justin looked over at Leon who nodded before he continued "We're gonna need you to ride behind Beth and Dom manning those scanners, making sure there's no heat on their tail."  
  
"No problem," Leon smiled, he was used to being stuck on scanners, it was what he did well, must've been the six month phase when he'd actually thought about becoming a cop.  
  
"Each team will be responsible for some small part of the trip, Leon's scanner guy, Jesse, I'm going to need you and Beth to make sure these cars are in top shape, this is a twenty-four hour drive in the best of conditions and we need as little trouble as possible," Justin muttered going back to his maps.   
  
Beth looked at Dom as if to say, See this is why I keep him around but kept her mouth shut.   
  
"Brian and Mia, you two are the most able to get Internet access without getting us busted, so I'll need ya'll to get us fake papers, passports, ID's that sort of thing. Dom, I'll need you to get us cells, preferably nextel so we can communicate, our radio's just won't cut it with the scanners," Justin ordered. "I'll get a route together, but right now it's looking like we take the 200 to the 50 through to Eagle pass, then go from there."   
  
"Okay, when do we ride?" Dom asked, a little annoyed at being shown up, but not stupid enough to look a gift horse in the mouth.   
  
"I'd prefer to leave tomorrow night, that'll put us at the states by Monday and on into Kentucky early Tuesday morning, but whatever works best for ya'll," Beth finally piped in, on this she was an expert.   
  
"I should have ID's ready for pictures early tomorrow morning, we can go through ID's then. But we might have to switch teams around just til we get into the states for a plausible story," Brian informed them holding Mia's hand.  
  
"Shouldn't be a problem, it'd be for like what two hours?" Justin asked.   
  
"If that long, just til we get over the boarder and closer to the nearest rest stop," Mia replied softly.   
  
"Okay, well let's get cracking, what cars are we taking Dom?"   
  
"Leon, your car is already outfitted with scanners, so you're driving yours. Beth and I'll take her Mustang, there's more cargo room, and it still has the backseat. You can decide what other two cars go between ya," Dom was popping his knuckles nervously. Who'd have though Dominic Toretto nervous about meeting a couple of kids.   
  
***  
  
"Ma, it's me," Beth muttered into the phone at the office of the shop. It might be Sunday morning, but she'd rather not call from the phone at her house.  
  
"Hey babygirl, it's too early to talk to the kids, they're still asleep," Barbara admonished softly.  
  
"No, not that, I'm sending a couple of representatives to Cali to pick of that C.A.R.E package for me," Beth smiled into the phone. They had worked out this code way back when, before she'd ever thought of hijacking cars, it had been a joke originally, but was coming in handy.  
  
"Which two?"   
  
"Letty and Vince," Beth replied, using the one name she knew her mother would know was a lie, this let Barbara know she was coming in herself. "They'll be arriving on TWA flight 718, send Marli and Bobby."   
  
"No problem, I'll have 'em meet Letty and Vince out there. Be careful baby."  
  
"I will Ma, you too. Love you."  
  
Beth smiled as she placed the phone back down on the receiver and headed towards the back of the shop, "Okay everything's in place on mom's end. Cars are ready. What about paperwork?"  
  
"All we need to do is take the pictures," Brian smiled before handing out packets of information to everyone, "Beth, you and Leon are crossing the boarder as Missy and Mark Shugart, of Nashville, Tennessee, a married couple who're on their way home from their honeymoon in Cancun."  
  
"Missy? You named me Missy?" Beth groaned throwing her set of papers down on the table.  
  
"Beth is married for Leon?" Dom laughed.   
  
"Look it was the best I could come up with on such short notice. You, Me and Leon are the most whitebread of the group, so it was either him or me." Brian informed her before turning to Jesse "Jess you and I are heading in as partners down in Mexico on a business venture, Justin, you're a immigrant down visiting your family for the holidays, heading back home."  
  
"What about Dom and I?" Mia asked softly.  
  
"You are going in as Juan and Justina Rodriguz, twins from up north on their way home."   
  
"Excuse me? You're giving them our ID's?" Beth gasped clutching her hands into a fist.  
  
"Look they were already established and the easiest to come up with paperwork for," Brian explained laying his hand on Mia's shoulder.   
  
"Alright, we roll out at midnight tonight, we'll stop an hour outside of Eagle pass and switch partners around until we get into the states, any questions?" Dom asked.  
  
Everyone shook their heads no, took their pictures, and headed back to their respective homes to pack. This was going to be one helluva long trip.  
  
***  
  
12:00- the next afternoon: An Hour outside of Eagle Pass Tx.  
  
"You ready for this Missy?" Dom asked a smirk evident in his voice.   
  
"Yes, Juan, I'm ready for this, and I wouldn't be smirking if I were you, if any of us have the potential to get made it's you, why didn't you just fucking grow your hair out?"  
  
"Cause it doesn't feel right. I tried, it lasted all of three weeks before I took out the razors and shaved the shit off," Dom explained softly.  
  
"Whatever, at least you got the tat which'll throw 'em off as you didn't have one of those when you left," Beth sighed leaning her head back against the head rest. Dom had insisted on driving all the way, even though he knew she was better at evasive than he was.   
  
"Yeah, I figured it was time I got one. And what better than the date I lost my first race," Dom informed her motioning to the numbers on his arm. He didn't have to tell her what the date was, it was burned into her brain indelibly. June 24th.  
  
"Yeah sure, now send Leon over here so we can get this over with," Beth grumbled.  
  
Five minutes later Leon had taken Dom's place in the drivers seat of the cherry red mustang, "Damn it feels weird driving without my scanners."   
  
"I know how you feel, first time I drove without a two way in my hand I felt like I could crash at any moment," Beth laughed before slipping a set of golden wedding bands out of her pocket.   
  
"What the hell are those?"   
  
"Wedding bands, I bought these years ago to give to each of my kids on their wedding day. I figure this is as good a time as any to use 'em," Beth explained slipping her band onto her ring finger and handing Leon his. "I now pronounce us husband and wife for the next few hours."  
  
"You my dear, are a bitch. I love it," Leon laughed softly leaning his head against the window.  
  
"Thank you Leon, I take that as a compliment," Beth smiled before settling back down with her notebook. She'd been keeping a diary of everything that had happened to them over the last few years. Who knows maybe it would come in handy.  
  
The next hour was spent in silence, and crossing the border was almost too easy. All the customs agents asked for were passports and drivers licenses.   
  
"That was almost too easy," Leon winced as they drove on up into texas.   
  
"It could've been worse, they could've searched the car," Beth replied.   
  
"Yeah there is that," Leon shot back.   
  
"You wanna really freak their asses out?" Beth smirked a few minutes later as they were pulling into a McDonalds for lunch.  
  
"You really want to get me killed don't you?" Leon groaned, then thought smiled and said "Do your worst."   
  
"When we get out, leave the ring on and put your arm around me."  
  
Leon did her one better as he walked around the car, opened her door for her and helped her out of the car. They pretended not to notice the stares when they got in line to order and Leon pressed a soft kiss against Beth's neck.  
  
"Would someone care to tell me what the hell is going on here?" Dom demanded, standing over both of them like a mountain.  
  
"Well, Leon and I decided to go for realism, went out and got married last night," Beth smiled and looked at Leon lovingly.  
  
"Who the hell do you think you are dude taking advantage of my sister like that?" Justin growled spinning Leon around to stare into his eyes.  
  
"Honestly Justin, I don't see where it's any of your business," Beth stated coolly "besides if you want to talk about using me, try looking at yourself buddy!"   
  
"But..."   
  
"Chill man, it's not like your sister went into this blind, we thought it all out before hand." Leon was finally getting into the game.   
  
"Thought it all out before hand and didn't think to tell me Leon?" Dom raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest. "What makes you think I won't beat the hell out of you for taking what's mine?"  
  
"I haven't been yours for two fucking years Dom!" Beth shouted oblivious to the lunchtime crowd who'd gathered around to stare. "Remember you were the one who called it off!"   
  
"You had my kids, therefore that makes you mine, and don't you forget it," Dom threw back.   
  
"Oh well well well, Mr. Dominic Toretto has decided he knows what's best for the worlds as per always. Let's just set one thing straight Mr. Big Shot Toretto, you might rule the rest of your team, but I'm my own person, and just because I still love you, doesn't mean you have the right to try to take over."  
  
The entire restaurant seemed to go silent as Beth rambled, and for a second she didn't realize what she'd said until Dom opened his mouth, "You still love me?"   
  
"Oh just forget about the rest of what I said then."  
  
"I mean it Beth, Do. You. Still. Love Me?"   
  
"Yes Dom, alright, I still love you. Always have loved you even when I was hurting so bad I could barely breath," Beth admitted, fighting back the tears.   
  
"And you're not married to Leon," Dom stated, knowing for sure it was fact. Beth wouldn't marry someone unless she was in love with them.  
  
"No, that was just a joke," Beth sighed,   
  
"Well then, I have something I have to do," Dom smiled, pulling her roughly into his arms.   
  
The next few minutes were a blur as Dom placed his lips gently against hers and probed her mouth open with his tongue. It was if the world began and ended right there in his arms. She hadn't had this completely euphoric feeling in three years.   
  
And knew now that no other man would do for her if Dominic was around.  
  
**** 


	6. Just Talking Things Out

****  
  
"So where do we go from here?" Beth asked, shoving a hand through her hair.   
  
"We go up to Kentucky, we get our kids, then we come back down to Mexico and get to know each other," Dom replied, opening the car door for her. Beth got in, sat down and smiled. Dom had never done that for her, so that made the gesture all the more sweet.   
  
"We already know each other Dom, or have you forgotten the three months we spent together in LA?" Beth laughed.   
  
"Yeah, but we've both changed since then, too many things have happened to us since we split up for us to be even close to the same people we were," Dom said, flipping through the radio stations.   
  
"You know, you're right."  
  
"Of course I'm right," Dom smirked before his face softened. "So tell me about my kids."  
  
"This could take all night," Beth warned.  
  
"So, we've got time."  
  
"Okay, as you already know they were born on Valentine's Day, I had to have a c-section because my cervix wouldn't dilate, they pulled Angel first, and she was this squalling mass of wrinkles and fury. Kinda reminded me of her daddy the way she made her displeasure about this big new world known loud and clear," Beth fell back into her memories, reliving the most important day of her life all over again. "Then it was Devlin, only baby I've ever heard of coming out of the womb looking as if he's smiling. He was just content as can be, looking around taking it all in."   
  
"With a name like Devlin, I'm sure the peace didn't last long."  
  
"That's for sure," Beth laughed. "Dev was definitely a challenge, although aside from her name Angelina is no Angel either. But Devlin was the first to get into anything, my little daredevil. Mom's had to get central air just to keep him from trying to get out of the second story windows."  
  
"Must take after his mother," Dom laughed.  
  
"I'll have you know I was the perfect child, If Devlin takes after anyone it's you!" Beth tried to look insulted but it didn't last. "Okay so I wasn't perfect, but like Angel and Devlin it was usually Justin pulling me into trouble. Not that Angel can't hold her own mind you, she's just as likely to bean Justin with her bottle as actually take it."  
  
"Were they pacifier babies?"  
  
"No, I don't believe in 'em. I know too many kids who were given pacifiers just to shut them up, and I saw no reason to do that to my kids," Beth grumbled ferociously.  
  
"What were their first words?" "Devlin's was no, I guess cause he'd heard it so much over his life it was just natural he shout it when he got mad. Angel, who was actually the first of my kids to speak and had spoken her first words before I had to run, well she was a little different. I had her sitting on the table in her car seat while the family was sitting around just talking and playing cards, Dev was asleep in his crib, anyway we were sitting there playing poker, and she just started blurting out Da da da," Beth had to stop to take a breath after rambling out that story.  
  
"That's my girl," Dom laughed.  
  
"Yeah sure, you would think that. Anyway, they kinda took turns on the firsts, Angel was the first to talk, so Devlin was the first to crawl, Angel was the first to stand, Devlin was the first to walk," Beth informed him flipping through her memories like files. "We didn't think Dev was ever gonna actually talk, but once he started he never shut up. Or so my mom tells me."   
  
"You really miss them don't you?" Dom asked softly running a hand down her arm.  
  
"More than anyone could imagine. That was the worst, I could live with runnin', leaving my kids behind was another matter altogether," Beth sighed, leaning her head against the window.   
  
"Well a few more hours and they'll be back in your arms."  
  
"Try 18 more hours, but hey it could be worse," Beth shrugged. "I just have to remind myself it was for the best to leave them when they were so little."  
  
"Tell me about the rest of your family," Dom was trying to keep her talking, if she talked she couldn't cry. Dom couldn't handle crying women, it always made him feel like scum.  
  
"There's my mom Barbara, she's a trip and a half, she wasn't really your normal sort of mother, she raised us pretty much by herself as Dad was gone with work half the time. She always made sure to make time for all of us kids as individuals," she replied. "A lot of the time parents of twins end up making their kids part of a unit, Mom never did that."   
  
"What was it like growing up as a twin? Why didn't you tell me you had a twin when you were in L.A.?"   
  
"Justin and I were always each others best friend. We can read each others thoughts at times, which can be a blessing and a curse. And when I was in L.A., I don't know there just didn't seem to be a point to telling you about my brother who was doing 4-8 in a Virginia Prison."  
  
"What about your other sister Marli I think you called her?"   
  
"Marli's the baby of the family, which meant she was always the protected one, first time she brought a boyfriend home I thought Dad was going to murder him," Beth laughed.   
  
"What's she like though?"  
  
"Independent, she's the smart one of the three of us, got into Catholic School on a full scholarship and then ended up getting into the University of Kentucky on a full ride for Basketball," Beth explained, "She and I weren't really all that close growing up, mostly because I had Justin, and as a kid didn't need many other friends."   
  
"What about now?"  
  
"We're closer than we have been, which is hard as hell as she can't call me and I can't call her without me being traced. Dad, well he's probably the best guy I've ever known, he was a cross-country driver when he met Mom," Beth smiled, her father had always been her greatest champion. "Like I said he was gone a lot, but when he was home it wasn't like things changed, he just sort of settled into our routine and laid down the law, what Mom said went."  
  
"Sounds like you adore him."   
  
"I do honestly, he taught Justin and I everything we know about cars. This baby here was my sixteenth birthday present, and when we got her she was in such bad shape it almost made me cry. It took us eight months to get her fixed, but she's purred like a kitten ever since."   
  
"How does she race?" Dom asked, 10 second cars were always foremost in his mind.   
  
"Like a dream, once you get her going she doesn't wanna stop," Beth smirked. "First time I won in her.. well it was better than most orgasms."  
  
"You must not have had many good orgasms then," Dom threw back.  
  
"Well considering the last guy I had sex with is sitting right next to me, you might just want to think about that statement," Beth teased, truth was no race could compare to how she felt when Dom was inside of her and pushed her right over the brink into insanity.  
  
Dom stuttered for a second, this was something else he wasn't used to, Beth talking back to him. It wasn't like it had been with Letty, bitching and moaning about every little thing, it was more of a challenge, like see if you can beat me big boy.  
  
He rather liked it.   
  
***  
  
Fifteen hours later they were crossing the boarder from Tennessee into Kentucky. Dom looked over at Beth for a second, he'd always enjoyed just watching her sleep. She was peaceful when she was sleeping, the intensity of her waking hours seemingly put behind her.   
  
He knew he should wake her up, let her know they were getting close, he just didn't have the heart to. Beth had once told him that if she could get through a night without the nightmares coming, she was doing good.   
  
He'd found out later what the nightmares were about.   
  
"Dom, Sissy, either of you out there?" Justin called out over the walkie on their phones.   
  
"Yeah I'm out here Justin, your sisters asleep," Dom explained.   
  
"No nightmares tonight?" Justin asked, obviously pleased.  
  
"Not that I've seen, what'd you need Justin?"  
  
"I'm passing the Illinois/Indiana border right now, just doing a quick status check."  
  
"We just crossed Tennessee/Kentucky, getting ready to pass Bowling Green," Dom answered quietly.  
  
"You're about two hours out, we're meeting at an Inn in a little town called Sheperdsville, Country Inn & Suites, we can pass out there for a few hours without getting busted," Justin explained, hoping the change of plans wouldn't screw everything up.  
  
"Where's Brian and Mia?"  
  
"As of half an hour ago crossing the Indiana/Kentucky border at Owensboro," Justin replied.   
  
"Okay so we're all within two hours of Sheperdsville," Beth called out groggily. She'd loved waking up to Dom's low rumble, it was one of the things she'd missed most about being with him.  
  
"You're awake?" Dom demanded, stating the obvious.  
  
"Have been since I heard Justin come over the two way. We've got two hours until we're home free, let's not screw it up," Beth muttered. "Oh and Justin, Mom said to tell you they still drag out on Buchman Street if you wanna catch a race."  
  
"Paul still Sheriff?"   
  
"Yeah we're cool to head over to Buchman if we want to tonight. I figured it'd be nice to get a little peace of the action," Beth smiled into her two way.  
  
"Cool, gives us something to do tonight," Justin laughed gleefully then cut out.  
  
"You sure you want to race tonight?" Dom asked as they both put their phones down.  
  
"It'll give us something to do, as Sheperdsville isn't exactly the most civilized place in the world," Beth replied quickly. "Besides, the guys out here are chumps, they wouldn't know a ten second car if it bite 'em on the ass."   
  
***  
  
Sheperdsville, Kentucky: 12:00 am EST.   
  
"You're sure you want to do this?" Brian asked for what seemed like the millionth time.   
  
"Look Bri, everything's cool, like I said the sheriff is my godfather, and he seems to think Justin and I are perfect little angels who were set up," Beth explained, as they parked their cars along the small side road.   
  
"He actually believes that?" Leon snorted.  
  
"Let me put it this way Leon, as far as Paul's concerned the twins were the first immaculate conception since the Virgin Mother herself," Justin laughed, wiping the dirt and grime off his car.   
  
"What kind of money do they lay down around here?" Jesse asked, his disdain clearly written on his face, these hicks didn't know anything about cars.  
  
"If we're lucky, Panama and Edwin'll be racing, they throw down 2000 dollars at a time, mostly because they both have decent cars," Beth looked around the crowd and spotted her friends. These were the guys who'd helped her brother and her out of the country.  
  
"And if we're not lucky?"   
  
"It'll be Paulie, Matt, and Jay, we'll be lucky to clear 1000 for the night with all six of us racing," Beth sighed.   
  
"Well hells bells, if it isn't the Goddess of the engine herself," A huge black guy boomed, wrapping his arms around Beth and picking her up as if she were a rag doll.  
  
"Panama!" She squealed hugging the guy equally as tight.  
  
"Hey chica, last I heard you were down in Mexico hiding out from the feds," Panama laughed, setting Beth down and looking around, "That miscreant brother of yours around here anywhere?"  
  
"Panama, mi amigo, what's up?" Justin walked around from the back of the car. The greeting was much less exuberant if no less warm.  
  
"Not much, what the hell are ya'll doing back in the states? Not that I'm complaining mind you, we need the competition, Paulie, Matt and Jay just ain't cutting it," Panama grimaced.   
  
"We came back to pick up the kids. Panama, I'd like to introduce you to my friends, you know Justin, this is Mia Toretto, her boyfriend Brian Spillner, Jesse and Leon, well they just hooked up with me and never left," Beth laughed before her face softened and she reached out her hand for Dom's "And this mi amigo, this is Dominic Toretto." "You're fucking with me," Panama's eyes widened. He'd heard the name Dominic Toretto...although usually it was preceded by "that rat-bastard."  
  
"No, Panama, it's really Dominic, we hooked up down in Mexico," Beth smiled "Well actually it was in some rinky-dink town in Texas called Eagle Pass, but anyway we're...getting to know each other."  
  
"Seems to me munequa that ya'll know each other rather well considering you have kids with the dude," Edwin growled from somewhere behind them.  
  
"E!" Yet again Beth was swept into some guys arms, although this was a little guy who appeared to be Dominican or something of that nature.   
  
"Hey there little doll," Edwin smiled, hugging his friend tightly. "Why are you with this scum?"  
  
"No importa E, well it is important, but he's not scum," Beth threw back, fiercely hugging her friend. "I missed you most of all."  
  
"Well now I'm hurt!" Panama grumbled.   
  
"Bite me Panama, you know you were always closer to Justin than me, but that's not what I meant and you know it!" Beth sputtered, before being pulled back into Dom's strong arms.   
  
"Ya'll racing tonight?" Edwin asked, the race was always the most important thing to them all.  
  
"Do you think I would come home to Kentucky, come all the way to fucking Buchman Street, and not race? Not likely chico," Beth smiled. Panama and Edwin were two of the few people who knew she actually raced better than Justin.   
  
Mostly because they'd lost money to her a time or two.  
  
**** 


	7. Protecting What's His

Author's Note: Just a little note to first thank my reviewers, Angel, Krikett, BlueBrie, Pinky, and anyone else I may have missed. Second, Panama, Edwin, and any of the supporting cast in this part are based on people I actually know. Names were changed but other than that they're the same. Justin and Beth are actually based on my boyfriend and his twin sister, again names were changed to protect the innocent, but the attitudes and beliefs are real.   
  
"From the light to the bank?" Justin asked, making sure the track hadn't changed over the years.   
  
"Of course, how are we gonna do this?" Edwin threw back, as they set up the betting for the night.   
  
"Thousand Dollar buy in a race, any side betting can be done at your discretion," Dom replied, leaning up against the mustang.  
  
"Thousand, hell dude that leaves most of us out," Jay, a local racer complained bitterly.  
  
"I know, this keeps the pros on the road, and you amateurs off. Beth, you're holding for the night," Dom ordered.  
  
"Why do I have to hold?"   
  
"You'll get to race babe, don't worry about that, I just want someone I trust holding the money," Dom informed her, "Plus you've got ties to all of us, so you're less likely to run."   
  
"Who's in for the night?" A random racer asked, throwing down a thousand dollars as if it were nothing.   
  
Beth, Justin, Dom, and Brian all pulled money out of their various cars and threw down, as well as Edwin, and Panama.   
  
"Wait a second, let me do something really quick," A guy none of them knew called out before digging in the glovebox of his car. "I'll throw in my pinks."  
  
"Just who the hell are you?" Beth demanded, a little leery of any new comer to the race scene.   
  
"Greg Vaughn, just moved to Kentucky, I don't have any cash on me, but I'll throw in the pinks to my car," The guy stomped up to the car and threw the papers onto the pile of money.   
  
"Last time we had a guy do that Dom, he almost got us locked up," Jesse warned, from somewhere in back.   
  
"Shut up Jesse, what makes you think you're worthy? And how can you prove you're not a cop?" Dom growled stepping protectively in front of Beth.   
  
"You want to search me?" Greg asked, holding out his arms.   
  
"Justin, pat him down, if there's a wire on him, kick him to the curb. Jesse, check out the car and make sure he's not gonna kill us with it, like Spilner tried to," Dom ordered.   
  
While they were patting down the newcomer, and checking out his car Beth turned to Dom and muttered "I don't trust him Dom, it doesn't matter if he's a narc or not, there's just something odd about him."  
  
"Listen, we let him race you, you take his car, we send it down to Mexico with Justin," Dom smirked, he knew this guy didn't have what it took to be a real racer, for one he left his keys in the ignition, what the hell kind of idiot left the keys in the ignition of his car.  
  
"Dom, he's clean," Justin called, out shoving the other guy away from him.  
  
"His car's not the best thing to roll out of a garage, but it'll do," Jesse pronounced, "Only thing it's got going for it is standalone fuel management."   
  
"Okay, since we're racing for his slips, they go last. I got Edwin, Justin you and Panama, and that leaves Brian with the guy who's name I don't know," Dom was once again in his element king of the streets, his word unquestioned.   
  
"Cool, we'll run first," Brian smirked, pulling the keys to his car out of his pocket.   
  
*** Thirty minutes later after every race was over, and they were all just hanging out in the bank lot celebrating, Greg handed the slips over to Beth.  
  
"I can't believe I lost, I can't believe I lost to a girl," He sputtered.   
  
"Don't feel bad, there's only a handful of people in this lot who haven't lost to her at one time or another," Justin smiled proudly.  
  
"What is she, your fucking girlfriend?" Greg growled, popping his knuckles.   
  
"Oh good god that's just gross, she's my twin sister dude!" Justin looked like he wanted nothing more than to puke his guts up.  
  
"Like he said gross, and I'll follow that with an EWWWWW!" Beth shuddered at the very thought before she felt a welcome weight around her shoulders.   
  
"She might not be his woman, but she is mine you asshole," Dom warned menacingly.  
  
"Well you should teach your woman that her place is in the kitchen," Greg muttered before whipping around to stalk away.  
  
"You try telling this firecracker that," Dom laughed, his voice deceptively jovial as he walked up behind the smaller man, put a hand on his shoulder, swung him around and decked him. "That's for insulting my woman." A shot to the gut followed "that's for insulting a member of my team." Finally he dropped him down to the ground and kicked him a couple of times "And that my friend was for being a true dick head."   
  
"Damn it DOM!" Beth screamed as she grabbed his arm and jerked him towards the cars. "Are you trying to get us arrested?"   
  
"This guy was being an asshole," Dom shrugged as they made their way to the hotel.   
  
"Shit Dom couldn't you have just decked him and been done with it?" Beth shook her head. She was glad Dom cared enough about her to fight for her, but that didn't make her want to see him in jail for it.   
  
"Decking was too good for that asshole," Dom grumbled as he lead the way back to the hotel. "Look at it this way we're up a car. It might take us a couple of decades to get it in decent running order, but an extra car's always a good thing."   
  
"I knew the idiot was gonna lose, I mean who the hell tries to trick out a Neon?" Beth muttered.   
  
"Well if you actually know what you're doing when it comes to cars, then it's not all that hard," Dom explained steering them back towards the hotel. "So how much did we clear tonight?"  
  
"Well Bri won, Justin lost, I won, you won, so 5 large and a new car," Beth ticked off counting out the winnings.   
  
"Not bad for one night, we'll split back at the hotel. You sure you don't wanna go get the kids tonight?" Dom asked as he pulled into traffic.   
  
"No, 'cause we're only gonna be able to hang around for an hour or so before we leave, and you need to get some sleep," Beth sighed as she tucked the money back into her purse.   
  
"What time you want to get started tomorrow?"   
  
"Right at midnight yet again, it's best if we go in late, get the kids while they're asleep and get out. Mom already knows we're coming. We'll leave Brian, Mia, and Jesse back here in order to keep it from looking too suspicious," Beth decided.   
  
"I understand why we're taking Justin, he deserves to see your mother as much as you do. But why are we taking Leon?" Dom was worried, maybe Leon and Beth really had gotten closer when they were driving through Mexico.  
  
"I want him to meet Marli," Beth said simply.   
  
"You want to hook your sister up with a criminal?"  
  
"Why not? Leon's a good guy, besides, she's dating this real asshole right now, kind of Vince with a seriously rotten attitude," Beth explained.   
  
"Since when has Vince had a good attitude?" Dom laughed.   
  
"Okay, let me put it this way, from what Mom told me Scott makes Lance and Johnny Tran look like real sweethearts," Beth spit vehimately, she'd never met Scott White personally, but she knew his type. From what her mother said he ordered her sister around like she was his servant, and what really blew everyone's mind was Marli let him get away with it.   
  
Justin had been wanting to go back to the states and kick his ass for the last three months, but Barbara had begged him not too, pleading that it wasn't worth losing her son over.   
  
"Oh," Dom mumbled before turning his attention back to the road.   
  
"Yeah oh's right Dom. I want this asshole away from my sister and as soon as possible. If I have to drag her ass down to Mexico, then yes that's what I'll do," Beth looked out the window trying to calm herself down. The warm weight of Dom's hand squeezing hers went a long way towards cooling her temper as did his next words.   
  
"If he's that bad, then we'll make sure to take care of it before we leave, even if it sets us back another day."  
  
"Dom, this isn't your fight," Beth sighed. She'd already had to save his ass from one sticky situation tonight, she really didn't feel like doing it a second time.   
  
"It's your fight isn't it?" Beth nodded not quite sure where he was going "Well then it's mine.   
  
"Dom..."  
  
"Don't fight with me about this, it's my fight Beth," Dom ordered as he pulled into the parking lot of the hotel.   
  
"Yeah, sure. Okay, Bri and Mia already checked us all in, we just have to pick the keys up from the desk clerk," Beth informed him giving his hand a last squeeze in thanks, before opening the door.   
  
"Do you trust this guy?"  
  
"Yeah, I used to work with Josiah, he's a friend. He helped us get out of town the last time."   
  
"Hey girlie good to see ya," The geeky looking desk clerk smiled handing them a set of keys.   
  
"Hey Joe, how's life treating you?" Beth asked, well aware that Dom was standing behind her trying not to appear jealous.   
  
"Not too bad, Connie's in-house tonight, right next door to some of your buddies, so if ya plan to party take it somewhere else so I don't get chewed out," Josiah pleaded.   
  
"Joe, this is me you're talking to. Remember Evening with Santa night, when I stayed so the kids could have dinner with Santa? I ended up next door to Arno Flynn? He was in a partying mood and tried to keep the entire third floor up all night?" Beth stopped for a minute to let Josiah catch up to where she was "Only reason I didn't demand a refund that night was because I had to go rescue Justin. I promise no wild parties. You should come on up and have a beer with us after you're done running audit."   
  
"I'll try," Josiah smiled.   
  
"Well that was certainly chummy," Dom hissed as they walked towards the elevator.   
  
"Dude, I worked with him for three years, dated him for maybe a month a long time before I met you. We're still friends," Beth shrugged as the doors closed behind them.  
  
*** 


	8. Back at the Hotel

Authors Note: Sorry this part took so long, some real life stuff got in the way of me getting this part done, well that and I got a serious case of writers block. Once again I'd like to thank my readers, and my reviewers for their patience in me getting this part of the series written. The central charachters belong to thier respective actors and the writers of The Fast and the Furious, the new guys belong to me, but if you want to use 'em just let me know. I'll be glad to donate them for a good cause.   
  
***  
  
"Hey, this is Vaughn, I got your confirmation, the Pennick's are definitely in town," Greg grumbled into his cell phone. This case had gotten way to personal.   
  
"You get visual confirmation? Or was it just the buzz on the street," his partner sneered.   
  
"I got fucking beat in a race against a girl, I think that's enough of a confirmation for me," Greg muttered softly, he was going to get them for that if it was the last thing he did. "But I also got something a little bit juicer than a couple of two bit car jackers."   
  
"What could be juicier than a case the agency has been working on for more than a year?"  
  
"Do you remember that case out in Cali a couple of years ago, truckers being hijacked and taking the law into their own hands?"   
  
"Sure, the agent who worked that case ended up turning over to the other side," His partner began to smile smugly, he had a feeling this case was going to make his career.   
  
"What would you say if I told you we were not only gonna bring in the Pennick Twins, but most of Dominic Toretto's gang, including the turn coat?"   
  
"I'd ask when we can get together to compare notes," his partner smirked into the phone. Vaughn had no clue he was being played for a patsy. When this came down it was going to be nasty, there was no way in hell Toretto or either of the Pennick's were going to stand up and just let themselves be arrested, and there had to be a fall guy for when things fell apart.  
  
That's where Vaughn came in. Vaughn did all the leg work, and his partner got all the credit.   
  
God it was good to live in the good old US of A.  
  
***  
  
"Hey Justin, you wanna do your favorite sister a huge favor," Beth pleaded, laying flat on her back on the huge king sized bed that dominated the room she shared with Dom.  
  
"What?" Justin sighed, getting up from his spot.   
  
"Beer run, you know what this town's like after midnight, and we need beer," Beth asked with a sly smile. Sheperdsville was one of those small towns that went completely dry after midnight, Justin was going have to make the twenty minute drive into Louisville.   
  
"You're sending me into Louisville for BEER... couldn't you at least ask for something a little harder?" Justin moaned, dragging his black leather jacket on.  
  
"Just get Corona and a bottle of Jack would ya, I'll love you forever," Beth pleaded batting her eyelashes.   
  
Justin had never been able to deny his sister for long, "You say that all the time, okay a couple of six packs of Corona and Jack Daniels, shouldn't be too hard to remember, you know if Louis' is still open?"  
  
"Yeah, that guy's gonna be in business until he either dies or the feds find out he's running a nightly poker game in his backroom," Beth laughed, curling up into a ball on the bed.  
  
"Beth, you okay?" Dom asked concern written all over his face.   
  
"Dude, she's fine, whenever sis here wants to get really comfortable she curls up in a tight little ball," Justin explained, he was used to people freaking out about the way his sister got comfortable, it was just something she did, one of those little quirks that made Beth...well Beth.  
  
"I was talking to Beth," Dom glared.   
  
"Dom, I'm okay, it's like Justin said, this is probably the most comfortable position in the world to me," Beth shrugged, "It's like I'm not really comfortable unless I make myself as small as possible."  
  
"Okay...that makes...no sense, but if you say so," Dom replied skeptically. That position sure looked like it'd hurt like hell, especially since her knees were drawn up to her chest and her hands were wrapped around them.   
  
"I'm fine Dominic, now Justin get the hell outta here so you can get back," Beth demanded getting up and shoving her brother out the door.   
  
"Okay, now do you want to tell me just why the hell you were so determined to get him out of here?" Dom asked, onto the fact that she had something up her sleeve.   
  
"Because I wanna surprise him," Beth smirked picking up the phone.   
  
"Oh really now, who're you calling?" Leon demanded, plopping down in the chair Justin had just vacated.   
  
"You'll see," Beth smirked. "Hey, Liz, it's Beth."  
  
"You're calling yourself?" Brian asked, his forehead wrinkling.  
  
"Yeah," Beth said into the phone rolling her eyes. "Anyway, I was wondering if you wanted to round up Marli and Bobby and meet up with us." "Okay so we know the chick knows her sister, we still don't know what's going on," Mia muttered.  
  
"Yeah, we're back in town for a little bit, and I figured you'd want to see Justin while you can," Beth explained into the phone before holding it away from her ear to so everyone could hear the squealing, "Calm the hell down Liz, just ask for Missy and Mark Shugart when you get to the Inn."   
  
Beth hung up the phone and turned to meet the confused gazes of her friends. "Okay Liz is Justin's girl, they've been together since they were thirteen, people used to tease the hell outta them because he was going out with a chick who had the same name as his sister but he didn't care. Anyway she was with him through jail, through the hijackings, everything."  
  
"Why didn't she come down to Mexico with him?" Brian asked contemptuously, he'd gone to Mexico for the woman he loved.  
  
"Look Bri, Justin was the one who said he didn't want Liz living a life of exile with him in Mexico. Hell for a while he even tried to break it off with her! Of course Liz was to damned stubborn for that and told him that if he didn't want her in Mexico fine, but she wasn't gonna let him break them up because in the end they'd both regret the hell out of it and wonder what might have been." Beth ranted and raved.  
  
"Okay, shit chill, I'm sorry I should've asked before I shoved my damned foot in my mouth," Brian muttered backing off, he'd never seen Beth this fiercely angry, but then again he should've known she'd be like this. Beth and Justin tended to guard each other from as much of the bullshit in life as possible.  
  
"Whatever, now Justin wasn't planning on even letting Liz know he was in town til after we were back in Mexico. Stupid sap is afraid she'll talk him into taking her with him," Beth snorted, she knew that's exactly what Liz was going to do, but in her mind they belonged together.   
  
She just wanted her brother to be as happy as she was going to be.  
  
Twenty minutes later Justin was still bitching about being sent out on a beer run...even if there wasn't anyone there to see him. He stopped at the desk and checked out who was working third tonight.   
  
Josiah, he figured he may as well talk to him since there was nothing else to do, "Hey Joe, what're you up to?"  
  
"Trying to figure out how the hell Audit can be completely off tonight," Josiah muttered tapping his pen against the desk.  
  
"Oh fun, well if you figure it out come on up and have a couple of drinks with us before your relief gets here," Justin told him, not knowing his sister had already made the same offer.   
  
"I'll try."  
  
Justin slid into the elevator not really paying attention to anything in particular, and after hitting the button for the third floor slipped into a sort of oblivion.  
  
It was hell being this close to Liz without being able to call her, or even see her. Missing her was part of his life now, something he was used too.  
  
After all he hadn't wanted to ruin her life by dragging her down to Mexico with him.   
  
But some nights, when Beth was either sleeping or obsessing over Dom, Justin would go off somewhere by himself and write ten page letters to his girlfriend, letters that he would never actually send because they were usually begging her to come to him.  
  
Justin had his reasons for doing what he'd done.   
  
The elevator doors opened with a ping as he reached the third floor. The walk down the hall was lonely, he wished he could call her but he didn't think it was right to give her hope when in the end he knew their relationship was doomed.   
  
He knocked on the door, cursing the fact he hadn't thought to get the key from Beth.   
  
"Justin," A familiar voice cried out as the door swung open and a body flew up against him.   
  
"Liz? What the hell are you doing here?" He demanded, pulling her in for a hard kiss.   
  
The kiss was long and deep, filled with months of pent up longing and regret. And when they finally let each other go Liz looked at him with hurt filled eyes, "Your sister called me, and told me that if I want to see my boyfriend, I should get my ass over here now. I don't understand why Beth had to call me, why couldn't you call me?"  
  
"Look, I didn't want you know I'm in town because leaving you again is going to be murder, and I thought it'd be easier if I just didn't see you," Justin explained running his hands through her long brunette hair.  
  
"Well, considering you're not leaving me again that won't be a problem will it?" Liz asked, letting the door close behind here. This was a private conversation.   
  
"Not leaving you again, where the hell did you get that idea?" Justin asked, pulling her across the hall so he could lean against the wall. "You know there's no way I can stay in Kentucky."  
  
"Who said anything about you staying in Kentucky?" Liz asked matter of factly. She knew he couldn't stay in Kentucky, she was going to Mexico with him,and this time she wasn't gonna take no for an answer. "There's no chance in hell I'm letting you go back to Mexico without me Justin, and nothing you can say can stop me." "There's...another woman," Justin answered, hoping he could hurt her into not coming, he couldn't let her come with him. Couldn't let her ruin her life that way.  
  
"Yeah, sure Justin. That's why you've got a boner that's digging into my stomach, besides, Beth's already told me you'd use that one, but not to believe it." Liz shrugged, leaning further into his arms.   
  
"Liz, come on, you know I can't let you do this," Justin pleaded, with hopes he wouldn't have to pull out the "I don't love you" card.   
  
"Who said anything about letting me do anything? I wanna see Puerto Vallarta," Liz shrugged.   
  
"Liz, I didn't want to have to tell you this.."  
  
"Don't say it Justin David, I'll never forgive you. I've been in love with you since I was eleven, with you since I was thirteen, that shit just don't go away," Liz informed him her eyes filling with tears.  
  
Shit, he couldn't handle her crying any better than he could handle Beth crying. She was right, he still loved her, now more than ever. Who else but Liz would stick by a convicted felon, even worse a man on the run for yet another felony.  
  
"So you're coming down to Mexico with me huh?" Justin asked, a smirk on his face.  
  
"Yeah and I don't care if I have to fucking hitchhike to do it," Liz nodded, cuddling in closer to him. It felt good just to be near him again. They'd done everything together, learned to drive, lost their virginity, everything. Sure there'd been some hard times along the way, but that had just made their love for one another stronger, more sure.   
  
"Well then, we'll just have to get you some papers," Justin muttered, his mind already rolling.   
  
"You're damned right."   
  
****  
  
 


End file.
